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The Misadventures of Ichabod Crane

Enjoy a fresh twist on the universally known classic, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving: 1820. What fate befell schoolmaster Ichabod Crane thirty years ago? A mysterious storyteller vividly recalls the fantastical tale where it happened not a stone's throw from where we stand, in the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow, New York.

  • Guido Jiménez-Cruz
    Director
    People Not Property: Stories of Slavery in the Colonial North, 11M: We Were All on that Train, SILENT, Heart of Gold, As Far Out As Here
  • Jonathan Kruk
    Writer
    Adaptations of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," "Rip Van Winkle," and "A Christmas Carol" (solo live performances)
  • Guido Jiménez-Cruz
    Writer
    The Miller and His Apprentice, Jack and Parthenia, SILENT, Heart of Gold, As Far Out As Here
  • Leslie Dann
    Producer
    People Not Property: Stories of Slavery in the Colonial North, 11M: We Were All on the Train, SILENT, Heart of Gold, As Far Out As Here
  • Jonathan Kruk
    Key Cast
    "The Storyteller"
    “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” "Rip Van Winkle," and “A Christmas Carol” (solo live performances)
  • Jim Keyes
    Music
    “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” "Rip Van Winkle," and “A Christmas Carol” (live performances)
  • Zac James Nicholson
    Cinematography
    Memory Games, Observatory Blues, People Not Property: Stories of Slavery in the Colonial North, No Place On Earth, Unseen Enemy, Lucky Sevens
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Fantastic, Horror, Comedy, Romance
  • Runtime:
    21 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    September 20, 2020
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Imaginarium Independent Film Festival 2021
    Louisville, KY
    United States
    July 9, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Fantasy Film Festival (Paris) 2021
    Paris
    France
    June 11, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Rochester International Film Festival 2021
    Rochester, NY
    United States
    Certificate of Merit for Screenplay & Unique Storytelling in Historic Location
  • Big Apple Film Festival - Autumn 2020
    New York City
    United States
    November 13, 2020
  • Film Shortage 2020
    Online Showcase
    October 29, 2020
    Halloween Week
  • Misty Moon International Film Festival 2020
    London
    United Kingdom
    October 24, 2020
    European Premiere
    Finalist in competition
  • 'Irving's Legend' - Historic Hudson Valley event
    (Facebook event)
    October 2, 2020
    North America premiere
Director Biography - Guido Jiménez-Cruz

Guido Jiménez-Cruz is a Spanish filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. He began his career as a graphic designer in the 80’s, becoming a creative director and expanding into interactive media, film, and motion/animation. His fiction and documentary short films, produced with partner Leslie Dann under their company Cruz Dann Productions, are inspired by curiosity in little-known stories in our history and their contemporary connections.

Guido began collaborating with Historic Hudson Valley, producers of “The Misadventures of Ichabod Crane,” when he co-wrote and directed more than twenty short films for HHV’s 2020 Webby Winner, “People Not Property: Stories of Slavery in the Colonial North,” an interactive documentary web series. He is currently writing a feature film adaptation of an American 1943 best-seller book about fascism in the US and a fantasy/horror/romance television series set in 18th century Spain.

Guido’s past film and media projects have been recognized by numerous international film festivals and prestigious media and design awards, including The Webbys, SIGGRAPH, Euroscript, Communication Arts, the One Show, The Daveys, W3, and the Art Directors Club of Europe. Also, his work in motion design has been featured in Oscar-nominated films and Tribeca Film Festival award-winners. Guido's work can be viewed at: https://vimeo.com/cruzdann

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Director Statement

When Historic Hudson Valley invited me to collaborate with storyteller Jonathan Kruk on an adaptation of Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” my goals were to translate his wonderful one-man show into cinematic form, capture the excitement of live performance, and bring a touch of strangeness. Beyond the original text, I looked for inspiration in the candid magic of theatre and the simplicity of early cinema.

For a fresh twist on this universally known classic, we took Diedrich Knickerbocker’s handwritten notes at the end of Irving’s story and ran with it. Jonathan’s charm, wit, and experience carried it off masterfully, like the headless Goblin might have carried off poor Ichabod Crane. I have my own theory of what happened to the brokenhearted schoolmaster on that fateful night and suggest everyone reach their own conclusions.

I love the fantastic genre, especially the line that separates reality and fiction. Irving was a master at blurring those lines and inspired us with his mischievous spirit. I hope he is proud of this adaptation and not rolling in his grave in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery by the Old Dutch Church.